Bird is the Worm – Lama + Joachim Badenhorst – The Elephant’s Journey

Excellent new recording from the Lama Trio of trumpeter Susana Santos Silva, bassist Gonçalo Almeida and drummer Greg Smith, with the addition of Joachim Badenhorst’s clarinets adding a very substantial infusion of melodic definition. While the presence of electronics and dissonance is still felt, the music isn’t submerged in these elements as it was on past recordings. This session really allows the space for the tunefulness of their compositions to fully emerge. The results range from startling to fun.